RoyalDude wrote:So bad that AV puts him on in the dying minute with the goalie pulled? Hmmmm, but hey I guess AV is an idiot and your just one smart Arm Chair GM who knows his stuff.

Yep in this case yes i do know more. Overall no. But in this game down 1 goal when Raymond has done nothing but kill play after play in the offensive zone while Higgins, BUrrows, and Hansen have actually created chances and been strong on the forecheck I am 100% sure there were better options than Mason Raymond in the dying minutes of the third. Without a doubt.

I hope that AV knows this as well and this was the last hurrah for Raymond for a bit of time. That was his chance to prove he belonged in the lineup. Good chance he doesn't dress next game IMO. Something AV has done in the past...demote a guy down to the 4th line one game and see if he got the wake up call the next game by giving him great icetime and great chances to make a difference.

Looking at some of the fun advanced stats for the game...Pyatt a -12 Fenwick and -21 COrsi. Canucks dominated the Coyotes in those areas.

Wish we had the luxury of using a Burrows-Pahlsson-Hansen line in the playoffs, but that's probably not going to happen. Burrows may not hit as hard as Torres, but he's twice as smart with the puck. Hell of a line to play against -- Pahlsson is really strong on the puck.

Main thing is to get those d-pairings sorted out. And Kassian looks like he needs some confidence in his game, but played all right in his limited role.

Blob Mckenzie wrote:I could see Raymond getting parked in the post season with other options ( Reinprecht???, Bitz ) getting the nod over him.

clem wrote:Would like to see Bitz back with the big club.

SKYO wrote:Take out Ray and put in Bitz for a game and see how it goes!

Bitz was #1 CENTRE for the Wolves in their last game.

Barring a miracle, no doubt he replaces Raymond in the lineup come playoffs.

There is not a Canuck roster spot available for him right now though.

He needed to work himself into top shape with big minutes on the Wolves so it's all good.

Glad everyone hates Raymond now.

I always have.

Hell even RD doesn't defend him anymore!

Bitz even though he's a 4th line grinder, I think he'd help wonders right now especially if the team isn't really in it and are just coasting to the playoffs to protect their health and well being, why not put in some AHLer's!?!

SKYO wrote:Bitz even though he's a 4th line grinder, I think he'd help wonders right now especially if the team isn't really in it and are just coasting to the playoffs to protect their health and well being, why not put in some AHLer's!?!

I mean we are losing anyways!

No roster spots available until the playoffs unless there is a long term injury.

SKYO wrote:Bitz even though he's a 4th line grinder, I think he'd help wonders right now especially if the team isn't really in it and are just coasting to the playoffs to protect their health and well being, why not put in some AHLer's!?!

I mean we are losing anyways!

No roster spots available until the playoffs unless there is a long term injury.

SKYO wrote:Dare I say AV could be on the hot seat too? I bet you anything MG is at least looking at potential future coaches.

AV has to make the conference final IMHO.

If he doesn't the Mact T era starts and maybe Luongo can join AV in Montreal for a swap of 1st rounders and a certain black defenceman. The Habs can ship Price to Columbus and everyone but Yzerman is happy.

I'd say a hell no to MacT, there's got to be a hidden gem coach out there somewhere.

Send Kassian down to play 20 minutes a night on the farm and bring up Bitz. He just can't keep up and is gassed 20 seconds into every shift. He needs to play and he needs to play with energy. Weise had a very solid game and I'd sit Raymond and let him play with the twins for a game. Couldn't be any worse.

I was at the game tonight and it was brutal. We played a tremendous first 10 minutes and looked like we came to play, then we stopped playing. Sedins with 3 points but brutal defensively. Luongo another shaky game.

The best two lines were the 2nd and 3rd lines. They look ready to go. Kassian just can't keep up and looks like he doesn't know where to go away from the puck. Always out of position. Very little energy. I lost count of the 2-1 we gave up. Just a brutal no energy game.

The Sedin's constantly turned away from the puck and just did not engage. Raymond looks dangerous and then loses the puck.

St. Louis is 6 points up and all but has top spot locked up. From here on out bag skate the team until they decide these games mean something. We all know they just aren't into it but they are just far too lazy on the puck. The 2nd and 3rd line wanted it but no one else seemed to.

Going by something I read/heard about/from Raymond. He usually loses 10 pounds through the season. He had no off season training so his strength isn't going to be good to being with and he likely started playing quite a bit underweight this season. Add in his typical loss and you have a 150lb weakling out there....as opposed to a 170 lb somewhat stronger weakling (I'll never believe his 185lb listed weight)

Hockey Widow wrote:I was at the game tonight and it was brutal. We played a tremendous first 10 minutes and looked like we came to play, then we stopped playing. Sedins with 3 points but brutal defensively. Luongo another shaky game.

I saw it completely differently. I saw a team that did come out well as you say but then got a bit deflated by the goals. However, they recovered and held the balance of play by a pretty good margin. It wasn't an effort issue this game. It was mistakes by a select few. I also didn't find the Sedins poor defensively tonight. On the Doan goal Henrik sort of got caught on the wrong side of Luongo so couldn't do much. Mistake Henrik perhaps but not near as big a mistake as what started that play.

St. Louis is 6 points up and all but has top spot locked up. From here on out bag skate the team until they decide these games mean something. We all know they just aren't into it but they are just far too lazy on the puck. The 2nd and 3rd line wanted it but no one else seemed to.

They were far from lazy tonight. The effort and legs were there. Roberto and Bieksa didn't have a brain cell between them tonight. Hamhuis struggled. Raymond struggled.

Hockey Widow wrote:I was at the game tonight and it was brutal. We played a tremendous first 10 minutes and looked like we came to play, then we stopped playing. Sedins with 3 points but brutal defensively. Luongo another shaky game.

I saw it completely differently. I saw a team that did come out well as you say but then got a bit deflated by the goals. However, they recovered and held the balance of play by a pretty good margin. It wasn't an effort issue this game. It was mistakes by a select few. I also didn't find the Sedins poor defensively tonight. On the Doan goal Henrik sort of got caught on the wrong side of Luongo so couldn't do much. Mistake Henrik perhaps but not near as big a mistake as what started that play.

St. Louis is 6 points up and all but has top spot locked up. From here on out bag skate the team until they decide these games mean something. We all know they just aren't into it but they are just far too lazy on the puck. The 2nd and 3rd line wanted it but no one else seemed to.

They were far from lazy tonight. The effort and legs were there. Roberto and Bieksa didn't have a brain cell between them tonight. Hamhuis struggled. Raymond struggled.

Ya I guess we watched different games

After the first 10 minutes they did have some dominant shifts but they never really looked dangerous.